River basins and their management Embedding fieldwork into the curriculum Rivers fieldwork is an excellent way to introduce pupils to investigation and enquiry in the field. It is relatively easy to do (ensuring the location/s is suitable) and there are a variety of areas which can be investigated including: • River changes from source to mouth • River features and process • Erosion, deposition and transportation • Sediment and bed material • Use of the river • River basin management • Settlements along the river • Flooding • Land use change • Leisure • Pollution • Hydrological cycle • Human impacts on the river • River conservation and ecology There are several cross curricular themes such as: • Builds on work covered during a flooding unit, such as QCA Unit 4 ‘Flood Disaster – How do people cope’. • Could be included in a unit about coasts such as QCA unit 8 ‘Coastal Environments’ • Could be incorporated into a scheme of work based around the hydrological cycle, water management etc • Linked to threats posed by pollution, major flooding events and global river patterns • Includes key skills for all subjects such as communication, application of number, ICT, working with others, working independently • Links to science curriculum, such as work on the water cycle, weathering and ecological relationships • Could link to QCA unit 13 ‘ Limestone Landscapes’ • Links to mathematics, such as using and interpreting scale on maps • Links to ICT, for example using digital images, word-processing and desktop- publishing packages, using the internet • Links to citizenship, such as investigating responsibilities of local and central government, expressing and explaining views, considering other people's experiences, conflicts of opinion • Flooding aspect links to QCA unit 2 'The restless earth' and unit 24 'Passport to the world' • Fieldwork enhances thinking skills, taking part in group discussion, classifying and amending classification • Links to voluntary organisations such as wildlife trusts, RSPB, English Nature etc • Links to climate change and global warming, and the impact these have on land use and runoff. Royal Geographical Society with the Institute of British Geographers © Accompanying scheme of work The scheme of work below has been created using aspects from a variety of QCA units and schemes available, including: Unit 4: Flood Disaster - How do people cope? http://www.standards.dfes.gov.uk/schemes2/secondary_geography/geo04/?view=get Unit 7: Rivers a Fieldwork Approach http://www.standards.dfes.gov.uk/schemes2/secondary_geography/geo07/?view=get Unit 8: Coastal Environments http://www.standards.dfes.gov.uk/schemes2/secondary_geography/geo08/?view=get A rivers scheme written by Judith Mansell whilst teaching at Bishop’s Hatfield Girls School QCA unit schemes available to download for: Geography http://www.standards.dfes.gov.uk/schemes2/secondary_geography/?view=get Science: http://www.standards.dfes.gov.uk/schemes2/secondary_science/?view=get Royal Geographical Society with the Institute of British Geographers © Key aspects • ask geographical questions River basins • suggest investigation sequences • collect/record/present evidence About the unit • analyse evidence and draw conclusions In this unit pupils consider the geomorphological patterns and process of river environments • communicate appropriately and carry out a fieldwork investigation on a section of a river and its valley to discover the • use extended geographical vocabulary changes that take place downstream. They use a variety of equipment to measure and record • use fieldwork techniques their findings. At the end of the unit pupils produce a piece of continuous writing explaining • use atlases/globes/maps the processes that cause the downstream changes and reflect on how they could have • use secondary evidence improved their fieldwork. • draw maps, plans and The unit explores the management and land uses of river basins. The focus of this unit is the graphs geomorphological patterns and processes of a river basin environment. Pupils investigate the • communicate using ICT environmental planning and management of river basins and consider the tensions between • experience decision making development and conservation. The unit begins with the prior learning identified, and might Knowledge and understanding of places end by considering the characteristics of another river basin and the global patterns created Pupils will: by major river systems. The threats posed by pollution and major flooding events could also • locate places and environments be added. • describe scale contexts In this unit specific reference is made to key skills in ‘Points to note’. • investigate change in places • describe and explain This unit is expected to take 18 hours including one day’s fieldwork. physical features Knowledge and understanding of patterns and processes Explored through: • geomorphological processes • weather and climate • formation and development Knowledge and understanding of environmental change and sustainable development Pupils will study: • environmental change and management • sustainable development 3 Expectations Language for learning At the end of this unit Through the activities in this unit pupils will be able to understand, use and spell correctly most pupils will: draw on their knowledge of river behaviour to suggest relevant questions words relating to: and an appropriate sequence of investigation in the field; plan and use appropriately a • rivers, eg river basin, source, mouth, meander, tributary, watershed, water cycle, waterfall, variety of fieldwork techniques and equipment to collect data, collate it and present their valley, gorge, channel, current, landscape, reservoir, weir, flood plain, rapids, estuary, findings about downstream changes in the course of a river and its valley, both graphically delta, profile, hydrology, storage, infiltration, runoff and in writing, using IT; use some of the evidence collected to begin to reach plausible • the effect of water on the environment, eg weathering, erosion, transportation, deposition conclusions and how the quality of their fieldwork might be improved in future. • fieldwork, eg clinometer, flow meter, sample further examples of geographical language are identified in the scheme of work Begin to suggest relevant geographical questions and a sequence to investigate processes in the school buildings and grounds and environmental issues; describe and begin to Writing – through the activities pupils could: explain how hydrological and weathering processes are responsible for the development of • show relationships between ideas by links which illustrate purpose, eg in order to, so that, particular river features. and reservations, eg although, unless, if some pupils will not have made so much progress and will: draw on their knowledge of river behaviour and begin to suggest suitable questions and a sequence of investigation; Resources follow instructions to carry out a range of field measurements relating to river and valley Resources include: characteristics and bring together information; select and use a range of skills, including • OS maps using IT, to present information about downstream changes in river channel and valley • field equipment as available, eg flow meter, stopwatch, ranging rods, floats, measuring characteristics, in summary form; use primary and secondary sources of evidence and tape, clinometer, digital camera, metre rule, plastic bottle and tubing, stoneboard present their findings both graphically and in writing • palmtop computer some pupils will have progressed further and will: draw on their knowledge and understanding of river behaviour to identify relevant geographical questions and a Future learning sequence of investigation; carry out a geographical investigation effectively in the field with The unit provides an introduction to fieldwork techniques and investigative approaches to use minimal teacher support, selecting and using a wide range of skills and equipment to in some GCSE coursework. There is opportunity to develop ideas relating to weathering and collect, collate and present data; describe and explain downstream changes in river erosion in different contexts and scales later within key stage 3 and into key channel and valley characteristics; begin to reflect critically on evidence collected and stage 4. methods of working; present well-argued reports and begin to reach conclusions that are consistent with the evidence Links The activities in this unit link with: Prior learning • key skills – communication, application of number, IT, working with others, improving own It is helpful if pupils have: learning and performance • some familiarity with the components of the water cycle, can match the terms with • science – work on the water cycle, on weathering and on ecological relationships definitions and produce a flow diagram • considered the difference between weathering and erosion • learnt about weathering and understand erosion, transportation and deposition in the context of river studies • discussed various changes in rivers and river valleys from source to mouth, after research in textbooks • some understanding of, and can use, the terms river basin, source, mouth, meander, tributary, watershed, waterfall What is a river? What is its place in the hydrological cycle? • to use secondary evidence • Start by finding out what pupils remember from their work on rivers at key • identify and show the • Word origin: hydrology/hydrological, • to understand the stage